Electric-switch mechanism.



D. D. GORDON.

N 'ELECTRIC SWITCH MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 5. 191s; 1,228,905.;

Patented June 5, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

n jNx/NTUR D. D. GORDON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH MECHANISIVI.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 6. 1915.

1,228,995., Patented June 5,- 19W.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

y y INI/ENTER Q /awk 'shifting' movements ofthe bridging ELECTRIC-SWTCH MEHANSM.

To all @Li/2.0m. t 'may conce/m.'

Be it known that I., Divin D. GORDON, a citizen .of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, lin the county oi'i Cook and State ot lllinoisrhave invented a certain neiv and' use/ful yElectric-Switch Mechanism; and l do hereby declare the 'following `to he a `full, clear, and exact descriptionoi' the invention, such asivill enable. others skilled in the art to which it lappertains to make and use the `saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which torni a part of this specification,

This invention relates to electric switching devices oi the quick make and break type. and particularly to switches of this character oit the pull.cliain type and intended for use in electric lamp sockets or the like. 'u

The object o'l" my invention is the provision of an improved switch of the chan acter described which is simple, durable and inexpensive in its construction, quick and accurate in its action, and has the bridging member thereoftl locked against circuit inaking and breaking movements until the tension actuated tripliingir means has been moved al predetermined extent and had a predetermined amount ot' energy stored therein for shifting' the bridging member. Further objects and advantages oit the in vention will be apparent from the -ifolloiving` detailed. description thereot.

.Vi/lille the invention in its broader aspect is capable of embodiment in numerous foi-ins, a preferred form and one modiied forni thereof are illustrated in the aecompanying drawings, in Which,-

Figure l is a central longitudinal section of a socket embodying the preferred forni of in v switch with the switch in full. Fig. 2 is an inner `end view oi the socket and switch ivithfthe cap portion of the socketv removed. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional de,- tails of the switch mechanism illustratingp diil'erent operating positions of the parte. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the switch inechanisnirvith the actuating means for the mechanisni removed. Fig. 'I' is a different central longitudinal section oi the socket from that shown in Fig. l with the switch mechanism in full. Fig. 8 is a view of the coupling end of the socket. Figs. 9 and l() are perspec# Speeiicatlon of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 6, 1915. Serial No. 60,0%?.

tive views of the bridging; nieinber and central slide, respectively, and Fig. ll is an enlarged perspective view of ,a slightly mode fied forni ol? the switch mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, l and 2 designate the hase and cap parts, respectively, eli the interior insulating; body o'' a socket, and 3 and 1l designate the hedv and cap portions, respectively, oi' an inclosinga shell l'or the in sulating' parte ot the socket, as is customarilyemployed in certain types of sockets o't the character described. The-parts 3 and el of the shells are preferably secured together in any suitable or convenient manner as is 'well understood in the art. i The parte l. and 2 o the interior insulating body ot' the socket cooperate, in the present instance, to form aclosed insulatingly closed, chamber mechanism is located. The insulatingcap 2 and the shell cap et have centrally disposed registering openings 6 through which its terminal Wires 'Y mayv he introduced into the chamber 5. The cap 2, in the present ini stance.. is provided at its inner side or in A 'terioilli7 of the chamber With a pair of binding screws S, 8 which servo to hind the terminal wires 7 to respective contact plates l) and l0, 'which are carried by the,insulating` cap on the inner side thereof. These contact plates, in the present instance, have lingers 'll and l2, respectively, projecting1 therefrom into4 the chamber 5 lengthwise et the socket andvtliese lingers, when the insulating,- parts l and@ are in assembled position, have contact with respective Contact fingers 13 and Ll, which rise Within the chamber 5 in substantial parallelism with the lingers 1l and l2. v The Contact le, in the present instance, projects from or has electrical connection 'with the inner end of the customary screw shell l5 which is secured to the outer end of the insulating part l and forms the side- Contact for the lamp, connecting plug, oli' other attachment inserted into the socket',y aS is well understood in the art. The screw shell 15 is -iiisulatingly spaced from the outer end of the shell part 3 hy an .insulating sleeve 16. The other Contact 13 of the set, which is carried by the insulating art l, is intended to have connection. with the usual center' ,contact l? of the socket through the bridging member oit the switch mechanism, 'which kterms present invention.'

The bridging member of the switch is designated 18 and is carried for rocking move'- ments-withiii the chamber bythe spaced opstanding arms 19 of a chair or bracket .320 1 ber 28 has reciprocatory movements and l portion 29 in the cross-piece 22 of the bridg- .niember 20 that is mounted on the bottom 'of the chamber 5. rlhe bridging member 18, in

the present instance, comprises two side bars 21, 21 of pressed liber or other suitable insulating material of a rigid nature, and these bars ai'econnected together atene end by a cross-'piece 22, preferably, but not necessarily, 'of metal,'which carries the bars 21, 2l

` at their inner ends andrigidly space them -'ting' the bridging 4movements relativev to said bracket. Each apart, as best-shown in Figi -6. The crosspiece 22 isprovided at -its-ends with axially alin'ed trunnions 23, which arejournaled in bearingvopenings in the respective upstanding arms 19 of the bracket 20, thus permitrnember to have Arocking bar 21 of the bridging member is provided at its outer end at the outer-'side thereof, in

lthe 'present instance, with a contact part 24 and these contactparts are electrically con- 425 'over thetop of the nected by abridgin piece 25, whichv extends l bridging member. The bars 21 are connected adjacent to the 'i inner or pivoted end thereof with a crosspiece 26, which is yprovided with an opening 27 therethrough through which a slide meinwhich coperates with the cross-piece 26 to control theV shifting movements of the bridging member 18. Theslide 28 .has one end projcctingthrough an opening or cut-away ing memberand rests on the top of an up- 'standin arm 30 of the bracket 20. .This end of the s' ide 28 is also adapted for attaching 'jee v r .opposite end portion of the slide 28 is guided to a pull chain or tension means 31. rl`he forreciprocatory movements by a pair of L upstanding arms 32 on the adjacent end of the bracket 20, said arms being notched at their inner sides, as at 33, to slidingly re` ceive the respective edges oi. the slide 28.

The opening v27 of the bridging member cross-piece 26 is of greater width than the thickness of the slide 28 to permit the bridging member'to have limited lrocking movements relative to said slide, such movel ments being limited the upper and lower edge walls of the opening co-acting with the f te slide. The rslide 28 normally stands in the forward position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6 due to the action of a spring finger 34 thereon, which finger is carried by the bracket 20,

- The-forward movements of the slide underA the inuence of the spring 34, are limited by contact of Vthe free end of the slide or of a partcarried thereby with the adjacent wall ofthe chamber 5, as shown in. Figs. 1 and 2. `When. the slidei28 is in its forward or non `mal vl'iosition the bridging member 'i8 is locked against shitting movements a lng :essence 3b projecting inward from one or both ends oft-lie opening 27 in engagement with the upper or lower adjacent edge of the slide 22,

as the lugs may bedisposed below or above lthe slide, depending on the position of the bridging member. The slide 28 is provided in each sideedge thereowith a notch 38, which vwhen the slide 28'has beenV retracted Wardposition move into register -withvtlie respective lugs '35 and permit a passage. 'of

such lugs through said notches and a consequent shifting of .the position of the bridging member, such shifting' movements being guided as hereinafter described. Upon a release of the tension applied to the slide 28 through the chain 31, or in any other suit- .a predetermined extent from its normal forable manner, after a shifting of the bridgingmember, the slide 28 returns to its non mal forward position, moving the notches 36 out of register with the lugs 15 and loclo ing said member in its shiftedvposition,

which positionis maintained until the slide has been again retracted vto bring the notches 36 thereof into register with the lugs 35.

When .the notches V36 of the slide 25 have been moved into register with the lugs the retracting movement'of the slide 28 is stopped, in the present instance, by one or the opening 38 lengthwise of the latterand.

has its inner end terminating in a fork-like part 41, the arms of which extend in oppositsdirections in the plane of shifting movements of the bridging member 18. The plunger 40 has its inward or rearward movements relative to the slide stopped by the contact of a iiattened head e2 with the outer end of the slide and the plunger is of suitable length to adapt it, `when at limit of its inward movement, to extend to liti n near the inner end of the slide opening 38, A.

as best shownin Figs. 2 and 3. A coiled comp i'essioii spring 4:3 isl carriedA by the 4plunger 40 Within the opening B B'and has 4its other end thrust against the outer end wall of said'opening," thereby normally acting to retin .the plungerat the limit of itsinward movementlelative to the slide.

slide 28 from the normal position shown in Fig. 3, one vot the arms el. at 'the 'forked end of the plunger will. enact with reg4 Y p 12's It is evidentby reference to Figs. 3, and 15 that upon an inward movement of the the respective lugs 35 of the control strip 26, thereby unlocking or releasing the bridging member to permit it to be quickly shifted, by the spring action of the plunger 40 thereon, to the circuit closing position shown in Fig.- 5. The 'operator then releases the slide 28 to :p )ernoitl it 'to return to its normal position, which return effects a relater-y lease of the forked endengagement of the plungerwith the cross-piece 26 oi the bridging member and permits said plunger to return to -its normal alinedl position with the slide, in which position the forked end of the plunger stands in register with the upper edge portionof slide will cause the plunger t'o'engage said upper edge portion of the crosspiece 26 and effect an inward or .circuit breaking shifting of 'the bridging member when the slide has been moved a suicient extent to place.l

the notches 36 thereof in register with the -lngs 35. inasmuch as the preferred and modified forms of the invention are very similarthe operation of thedatter will be l understood from the foregoing. y

While l have herein shown and described two' specific. embodiments of my invention for illustrative purposes, it is to be under-- stood that the invention is not limited to the mere detail or relative arrangement or construction of the parte, but that devian tions from the illustrated forms of the iiivention may be made Without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isfand bridging said contacts when said elenient in circuit bridging position.

2. in an electric switch, a bridging element having spaced electrically connected side arios forming lcontact parts, said element being mounted for rocking movernents'in a plane at right angles to the plane in which said side arms are spaced and having'a cross-bar connecting said arms, said bar having an opening therethrough lengthwise of said element, a control member recipro-V cally movable lengthwise of said element and projected through seid bar. opening, said member and ber having parte which coperate to loci( the eiement against rocking movements until the member has been rnoved e extent, and

by member and onerosi-ets iro, t @einer the crowpiece 26,- I whereby the next rearward movement of the incense shitting movements to saideieinent fahenzre leased for movement by the contini member.

3.' ln an electric a be'idging element mounted for roching'rnovements and having leiectrically connected side arms 4iorxniing coni-,act parte and @paced-transversely of the plane of reciting of .the elenient, a bar connecting said side arms and forming a part of said element, said bar being spaced from the rocking anis of said element, a control member projected through said bar for reciprocatory v movements lengthwise of thel element and normally standing in vone/position of its movement reiativethereto, said member and bar coperating to lock the element against rocking movements except when the member has been. n ioved a predetermined extent from normal position, and spring ineens carried ,by said bar and operable to impart quick rocking movements to said element in first, then the other when the.

one direction and member is successively moved to release the element.

4. ln ari-electric switch, a bridging element mounted for reciting movements and having ,electrically connected side arms rorxning contactl parte and spaced transversely of the nient, a control mamme mounted between the side arms of said element for reciprocatory movements lengthwise thereof and rel ative thereto and norrnslly standing. in one position of its movement, said member and elementl having parte which coperate to lock the element against rocking movements except when the member has been moved a predetermined extent, and means actuated by movements of said member from normal position to store energy therein and to actv on said element to move 1t first in one direction and then the other when successively 'rei leased bysaid member.

5., In an electric switch, a bridging element mounted for rocking movements to make and breek an electric circuit, a control` plane `of rocking ci the eier member guided `fior reciprocatory movements iengthwise of said element and norinany standing 1n one position. of its increment,

said member and element having ports which 4cooperate to prevent shiiitinc" movements of the element, except when tee 4Liber has been moved a predetermined extent :from

'normal position, e. plunger carried by said mnber for lengthwiseand transverse movements relative thereto, a coiled compression spring encircling said plunger and interposedbetween respective parts of seid member and plunger to yieldingly .retain the plnnger in one position relativev to the -con- 'trol member, seid plunger movements of said member from n orin'alpo- .sition end by saidv spring to exert f'quiclt being operable by Airc-ing to the element in ,drinn v leased by successive movements of the member from normal positlon.

6. In an electric switch, spaced contacts, a v

bridging element mounted for rocking movements and movable to make' and break connection between said contacts, said element having a part projecting therefrom in spaced relation to its rockingr axis and transverse to its plane of. rocking movements, a reciprocally movable control member movable transverse to the rocking axis of said element and normally standingin one position of its movement, said member and element part cooperating to lock the element against rocking movements except when the member has been moved a predetermined extent from normal position, and mean.N actuated by movements of said member from normal position to store energy therein and to act on said element to move it first in one direction and then the other when successively released by said member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

`Diurno D. Gonnon. 

